Hello everybody! This is chapter 8. I hope you all enjoy it. I would be really interested in your opinion on the latest developments! So please keep reading and reviewing! Thank you.
Inside the parlor the three children sighed at the sight of the sleeping Miss Peregrine. Enoch felt the fear and stress fall off and he relaxed his shoulders. For a couple of minutes no one said a word when suddenly outside there was a deafening crash, followed by another. The three of them jumped to their feet. Miss Peregrine had obviously slipped into a deep slumber as she didn't even give the slightest reaction.
"Stay with her" Enoch said to the girls and left the parlor. Carefully he closed the door behind him and was immediately faced with a scenery that could only be described as a battle field.
Enoch looked at his siblings who were standing around the now closed door to the basement.
"What happened here?" Enoch asked bewildered. Before anyone could answer it sounded as if there was someone throwing himself against the door from the other side. All of the children jumped and took a step back from the door. That was when Enoch spotted the now empty pistol lying on the floor. He grabbed it and was relieved to see that it was no longer harmful.
"Look, we can explain everything" Millard said. He was wearing his clothes again. Then the children told their older brother what had happened.
"Does this mean that the police officer and the pub owner are locked in our basement?" Enoch asked after they had finished. The children nodded. "And what do you think what we are going to do with them now?"
"Leave them down there?" Millard asked. His voice became more quiet as he was confronted with Enoch's death stare.
"I would be more worried about what Miss P is going to say if she sees how our entrance hall looks" Claire answered as a matter of fact. Internally, Enoch had to agree with her.
"Everything will be alright when Miss Avocet arrives" Horace said.
"How's the bird?" Bronwyn asked about Miss P's whereabouts. Enoch explained what had happened behind the locked doors of the parlor. After assuring his younger siblings several times that their ymbryne would be fine in no time he looked at the big long case clock in the corner. There were only three hours left before the loop would close.
Horace who had seen his brother's look at the clock and said "She will come, Enoch. She would never allow anything happening to us"
Enoch looked doubtful. "We mustn't take risks. We still don't know what happened to Miss Peregrine. Emma will stay with the bird and Olive and I will help you packing our belongings."
The others looked at him with big eyes. "I don't want to leave!" Claire had tears in her eyes. The twins hugged the girl from both sides.
"Darling, we won't leave if it is not absolutely necessary. We mustn't be unprepared, that's all I am saying. Most likely Miss Avocet will arrive soon and we can unpack our bags but there is a slim chance she is hindered and won't be here in time to save the loop." Enoch explained. They weren't convinced at all. For a moment Enoch considered if he was overreacting but he would never forgive himself if they were surprised by another negative turn of events.
"How about you already get your things and I'll get Olive." Enoch asked trying to put some cheer into his voice but failing gloriously. Claire sniffed and slowly they moved up the stairs towards their rooms. Enoch went back into the parlor and initiated them into his decision. He was surprised that no one had challenged his authority but then he remembered the time when Miss Peregrine had initiated a meeting where she had presented them with her plan on what to do in case of-well, in case that she was not around to protect them. Enoch had been surprised to hear that in this case he was in charge. Probably that was why no one questioned his decision even if they didn't like it. They respected Miss Peregrine enough to accept her decision and maybe, yes maybe, they even trusted him to make the right decision.
Emma and Olive where doubtful and worried as well but they understood the thought behind his decision. Emma agreed to stay with Miss Peregrine and Olive and Enoch joined their younger siblings in their mission to gather their most valuable belongings.